View Full Version : Saqlain Mushtaq ['Bring him back thread']
Saudi
19th May 2007, 20:47
Yeah I know one gets posted every month about him but really he is too great a talent to ignore. I mean I understand his knee has been hurt tremendously but if he can bowl and field a bit in county why can't he do the same in ODIs? We really don't have any wicket taking spinners in Odis now and wouldn't his experience count for something? Or is his career well and truly over?
Its a real real shame that this happened though. I don't think anyone has any doubts he would have taken more wickets then Warne and Murali had he played as often as he should have. Amazingly he still has 5 or so years on Murali and given that returns have been given to Mahmood and Nazir I see no reason why he shouldn't be at least taken to a camp or something.
Farrukh
19th May 2007, 20:54
Yeah I know one gets posted every month about him but really he is too great a talent to ignore. I mean I understand his knee has been hurt tremendously but if he can bowl and field a bit in county why can't he do the same in ODIs? We really don't have any wicket taking spinners in Odis now and wouldn't his experience count for something? Or is his career well and truly over?
Its a real real shame that this happened though. I don't think anyone has any doubts he would have taken more wickets then Warne and Murali had he played as often as he should have. Amazingly he still has 5 or so years on Murali and given that returns have been given to Mahmood and Nazir I see no reason why he shouldn't be at least taken to a camp or something.
since he started to bowl his floater flatter, his downfall started. he did it on advice of abdul qadir who was leg spinner. great saqi. shaba shaba.
W63L35
19th May 2007, 22:16
Yeah I know one gets posted every month about him but really he is too great a talent to ignore. I mean I understand his knee has been hurt tremendously but if he can bowl and field a bit in county why can't he do the same in ODIs? We really don't have any wicket taking spinners in Odis now and wouldn't his experience count for something? Or is his career well and truly over?
He has not bowled a single ball for his team (Sussex) this season.....in any form of the cricket!
Anybody knows why????
Salman
19th May 2007, 22:52
He's more of an overseas cricketer agent these days.
hasbeen
19th May 2007, 22:53
he is finished and should never be considered for selection for pakistan. i wish him well in his cricket career but as long as its not near pakistan national team. harsh but true.
12thMan
19th May 2007, 22:54
He has not bowled a single ball for his team (Sussex) this season.....in any form of the cricket!
Anybody knows why????
he did at start but he was a cover for Mushtaq and Mushi is back. Saqlain is still overseas player and Sussex have Mushi and Rana back after the WC and only 2 overseas players are allowed in a team. soon he will probably become local
swazigold
19th May 2007, 23:20
He did bowl at the beginning he played in all the limited over matches and he actually bowled quite alright, http://www.pakpassion.net/ppforum/showthread.php?t=40407 here is a thread with his matches he played this season
swazigold
19th May 2007, 23:23
he will also be playing later on in the season
swaziboy
20th May 2007, 00:45
saqi has a lot to do to get back....
let me put it this way...its going to take a lot of hard work to get back
itsnot going to be easy
i think he'll find the going v tough to compete
not saying its impossible but its going to takesome doing to bringback that old magic
Inswinger
20th May 2007, 01:35
Time to get away from the past
Bobaran
20th May 2007, 03:29
He's too great of a talent to leave. But if he isn't fit, he needs to work harder to get fit, so he can hopefully get back on the pakistani team
salman24
20th May 2007, 03:36
He's too great of a talent to leave. But if he isn't fit, he needs to work harder to get fit, so he can hopefully get back on the pakistani team
I agree with you man and everyone else that wants saqi back. He is a legend and should definitely return to play for pakistan ia :19:
asifp
20th May 2007, 08:20
Saqi is waiting to get the EU passport or something like that , then he can rock Sussex
Farrukh
20th May 2007, 08:37
I agree with you man and everyone else that wants saqi back. He is a legend and should definitely return to play for pakistan ia :19:
probably best offspinner ever without chucking allegations
Luton Bad Boy
20th May 2007, 09:01
We have to move on from Saqlain, he looks like a spent force, he has served Pakistan cricket well and with him in the attack we really had that edge to us, he was Murali, but, we now need to unravel another talent like him, and not persist with Kaneria, Hafeez, Malik, Afridi to fill in the role part time and look for a permanent spinner like Saqi!
Saudi
20th May 2007, 11:33
We have to move on from Saqlain, he looks like a spent force, he has served Pakistan cricket well and with him in the attack we really had that edge to us, he was Murali, but, we now need to unravel another talent like him, and not persist with Kaneria, Hafeez, Malik, Afridi to fill in the role part time and look for a permanent spinner like Saqi!
Yeah, but do you really think that kind of talent can be found again. In fact I'm not too sure theres any international class spinner in the domestic scene nevermind a prodigy like Saqlain was.
Wazeeri
20th May 2007, 11:36
Sadly I think we have already seen his last international outing.
I would love him to come back and take 500 wickets but that isn't possible and we will have to look towards the youngsters.
Wiji
30th June 2008, 13:46
Ok, so what's the story with Saqlain? He had a fall-out with team management and then went through fitness problems.
But now he seems to be in perfect shape. And the management is completely different to the one he had a fallout with. So why hasn't he made a comeback yet? Why do we need to look for youngsters when he is still better than all the spinners we have in the country? Is there something I am missing here?
In his 'poor' years (from 2000 to 2003), he took 78 wickets in 58 ODIs at an average of 28.18. Bear in mind that Umar Gul has 64 wickets in 48 matches at an average of 28.45.
My point being, even when he is off-form, he is miles ahead of spinners like Shahid Afridi, Arshad Khan, Danish Kaneria, Abdur Rehman, Shoaib Malik, Fawad Alam... and miles ahead of bowlers like Rao Ifthikar, Wahab Riaz, etc. So why is he never considered?
12thMan
30th June 2008, 13:48
But now he seems to be in perfect shape. And the management is completely different to the one he had a fallout with. So why hasn't he made a comeback yet? Why do we need to look for youngsters when he is still better than all the spinners we have in the country? Is there something I am missing here?He must not be playing enough domestic cricket in Pakistan
Wiji
30th June 2008, 13:48
I am sure if we have a loud enough support for Saqlain outside PCB headquarters, someone would listen. It would be an utter shame if he starts playing for England. What a legend the PCB has ruined!
But there's still hope, because I still feel he has a good 5 years left.
Wiji
30th June 2008, 13:49
He must not be playing enough domestic cricket in Pakistan
How does that matter? He is playing in a much better league.
Lethal
30th June 2008, 14:07
He has not bowled a single ball for his team (Sussex) this season.....in any form of the cricket!
Anybody knows why????
He plays for Surrey thats why. He is playing currently in a championship match
saqi has a lot to do to get back....
let me put it this way...its going to take a lot of hard work to get back
itsnot going to be easy
i think he'll find the going v tough to compete
not saying its impossible but its going to takesome doing to bringback that old magic
Mate anyhting has to be better then the way the current Pak squad are bowling.
Saqlain is indeed a legend
lollol
30th June 2008, 14:23
One of the best ODI spinners, if not the best.
He was so amazing, he came as a force, and was really amazing. Reached the 50th, 100th etc wicket landmark really fast. He was so good as a spinner, that he could bowl at the death
But i dont think he will play for PAK again, its wishful thinking... he himself says he is "dreaming of playing for ENG", so it seems he doesnt even want to play for PAK anymore.
Mercenary
30th June 2008, 15:49
He's banned bcos he played for ICL
lollol
30th June 2008, 16:18
^lal, i just forgot that.
Inswinger
30th June 2008, 17:09
He must not be playing enough domestic cricket in Pakistan
ICL ban...............
salman24
30th June 2008, 17:21
Saqlain has got 3 wickets so far in Kent's first innings
karachiite
1st July 2008, 12:18
Saqi is really turning it on for surrey this season. He's been amongst wickets in most championship games this season and was brilliant in even the 2020 cup.
salman24
1st July 2008, 14:57
Saqi got 5 wickets in the first innings and Razzaq got 3
Saqi got 5 wickets in the first innings and Razzaq got 3
And they are not playing for Pakistan because the Indian Cricket Board told the Pakistani Cricket Board to ban them.
As funny as that sounds, I find it the least bit amusing and extremely retarded.
observer1
3rd July 2008, 20:09
OK, first of all, this is a Genuine question.
Why don't they bring him back.
ODI's
Average is 21.78
Eco 4.29
Only spinner to get a Hat-Trick (done it twice)
Test
Average is 29.83
We all saw this guy... He won Pakistan countless of games...countless
He is also destroying everyone in the county leagues. Better than any other spinner there, including England's own Monty.
What is stopping Pakistan recalling him?
P.S Sorry if this thread has been made a 100 times... if one guy deserves another thread, it's this dude.
Savak
3rd July 2008, 20:22
Saqi will have to put in a good performance in domestic/county cricket to catch the attention of the selectors. He was rightfully dropped in 2003-04 because he was at that time a shadow of his former self and his doosra was easily picked by most batters around the world. But if he had a serious injury it was wrong of the PCB to completely ignore his predicament and not to fund his operations. I hope he has now recovered from his injuries and regained some match fitness. I was a bit concerned when i saw Saqi's last photo, he has put on a lot of weight in these years. If he can perform and deliver good performances in county cricket/domestic cricket he does deserve a recall.
Wazeeri
3rd July 2008, 20:23
We all saw this guy... He won Pakistan countless of games...countless
True if you can only count upto 49 or 49+169=218
But I completely agree, he has a minimum 4 years still in him and if we can play someone Saeed Ajmal's age. We can play Saqi.
aashiqmizaaj
3rd July 2008, 20:31
Last time we saw him on the international scene, he was carted all over the place.
Wazeeri
3rd July 2008, 20:42
DNA said that the PCB was in the process of reviewing those directives.
I will however question Saqis integrity once he comes back, esp since he has offered to play for England.
lollol
3rd July 2008, 20:47
- He has been banned for playing in ICL
- He wants to play for ENG
- Is he really performing that good in county?
12thMan
3rd July 2008, 20:47
Was he playing Pakistan domestic cricket last year? If not then he is not interested
dblock
3rd July 2008, 20:54
Last time we saw him on the international scene, he was carted all over the place.
because his injuries had rendered his knees as fit as an old age pensioner.
- He wants to play for ENG
Well what do you expect. He was ditched by his own country a long time ago. And to further rub it in, they have even banned him.
DNA said that the PCB was in the process of reviewing those directives.
Really? That's great news if they actually do. Any articles on that? We need the likes of Razzaq, Saqi, Hasan Raza, Shahid Nazir, Naved, etc etc available for selection.
Wazeeri
3rd July 2008, 21:08
Well what do you expect. He was ditched by his own country a long time ago. And to further rub it in, they have even banned him.
That is fair enough but the fact of the matter is, he has shown that Pakistan doesn't hold a unique special place in his heart anymore. To him international cricket is just a way to make money.
Re: DNA he said that in his interview on Geo after Shoaib got banned for 5 years and DNA needed to get across his side of the story.
He mentioned that the only reason PCB banned the ICL players was because the ICL had a clause in their player contracts which stated that the ICL will be given priority over all other cricket matches.
This clause has since been removed hence PCB is open to reconsider their directives.
McBoom
3rd July 2008, 21:08
I think Saqi accepted that his career for Pakistani team is over and decided to move on like Mushy. However he has recovered from his injury and I think he should consider making a return for Pak team.
But this dictator :dna has to reconsider the ICL ban for this.
TalhaSyed
3rd July 2008, 21:16
due to a lack of brain cells in the PCB? :104:
lollol
3rd July 2008, 21:35
because his injuries had rendered his knees as fit as an old age pensioner.
Wasnt his doosra also easy to pick in his last matches?
lollol
3rd July 2008, 21:36
Oh, btw: it seems he is the only doosra bowler, without getting allegations of chucking.
How was he possible to do that??
Oh, btw: it seems he is the only doosra bowler, without getting allegations of chucking.
How was he possible to do that??
This is what Saqlain said in his interview with PP :-
PakPassion.Net: How did you learn the doosra / Was it taught to you?
Saqlain Mushtaq: It was a case of self teaching. I would experiment with table tennis balls, trying different spinning techniques. We would practice on the rooftops of our house until I had perfected the delivery. I then tried the same technique with a cricket ball with success.
http://www.pakpassion.net/ppforum/showthread.php?t=44492
Was he playing Pakistan domestic cricket last year? If not then he is not interested
Saqlain has not played domestic cricket for a number of years and has had no intention of playing domestic cricket in Pakistan either. In fact Salqain was telling me that he went to Pakistan earlier this year to meet family over there, for the first time in many years.
I keep saying to people, Saqlain I dont think is that keen to play international cricket and speaking to him last week I would even say that he knows his body couldnt take 5 day cricket.
12thMan
3rd July 2008, 21:53
I will not be too off if I say that PCB has not contacted him much in last couple of years. And PCB has changed during that time too. It might be a case of waiting for call from both sides. I don't expect PCB to take care of all the injuries if he or they are not involved but a good dialogue between the parties have to be there for that to happen. If the terms were good then maybe instead of domestic he could have played some 'A' matches to see how he is. To me it is one of those things that the parties have just gone separate ways
lollol
3rd July 2008, 22:50
This is what Saqlain said in his interview with PP :-
PakPassion.Net: How did you learn the doosra / Was it taught to you?
Saqlain Mushtaq: It was a case of self teaching. I would experiment with table tennis balls, trying different spinning techniques. We would practice on the rooftops of our house until I had perfected the delivery. I then tried the same technique with a cricket ball with success.
http://www.pakpassion.net/ppforum/showthread.php?t=44492
I know he was the first one to bowl this delivery succesfully, but i was wondering why he didnt chuck, while others have had these allegations against them.
It seems that just confirms the work of a genius :)
is there any way of contacting the PCB directly with such a petition?
For all those people saying that batsman figured out his doosra, I suggest you read into these statistics.
In his last few 'poor' years (from 2000 to 2003), Saqlain took 78 wickets in 58 ODIs at an average of 28.18. Bear in mind that Umar Gul has 64 wickets in 48 matches at an average of 28.45.
is there any way of contacting the PCB directly with such a petition?
That's what I was thinking as well. I'd be the first to sign it.
And Saj, if you are in contact with him, why not ask him if he would consider playing for Pakistan again?
12thMan
4th July 2008, 00:43
pcb has a contact thing on their website. good luck
observer1
4th July 2008, 10:15
- He has been banned for playing in ICL
- He wants to play for ENG
- Is he really performing that good in county?
Like others said, if Pakistan have ditched him and banned him, then why not? England has been a good home to him...
Yes, he has been performing at country cricket. He is even handy with the bat. Nothing special mind, but still useful
bablu_khan
4th July 2008, 10:17
i would give away lot of $$$$ just to watch saqlain play again for pakistan
Dhonian
4th July 2008, 11:55
Why did he ever stop?
Wazeeri
4th July 2008, 14:01
You guys can all email the PCB if you wish.
They may notice if they get a few emails from all over the world.
Why did he ever stop?
Injuries and fallout with management.
County teams in England seem to treat their players better than the PCB does:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwSm3Tpt_G8
Yasir Arafat genuinely looks happy to be there.
Sher-e-Mysore
4th July 2008, 15:06
Didnt he move to Britain , marry a White lady and is trying to get British citizenship?
Some random CI news article said ECB is trying to get him to play for England for the 2009 Ashes.
salman24
4th July 2008, 18:47
pcb has a contact thing on their website. good luck
Maybe there is a petition
If there is I'd be happy to sign it
Come on PP let's take a step and sign a petition for A Razzaq and Saqlain Mushtaq
12thMan
4th July 2008, 19:04
Maybe there is a petition
If there is I'd be happy to sign it
Come on PP let's take a step and sign a petition for A Razzaq and Saqlain Mushtaqnot without Rana and Sami in the list
pakistanbest
4th July 2008, 19:10
id sing a petition for the return of saqi along with other ICL players having them available only helps our bench strength go stronger
observer1
4th July 2008, 19:15
not without Rana and Sami in the list
I'm sorry... i thought i read "Sami" in your post...
12thMan
4th July 2008, 19:16
I'm sorry... i thought i read "Sami" in your post...sorry it should have been the proper name Super Sami
observer1
4th July 2008, 19:30
sorry it should have been the proper name Super Sami
Hmm.... so you still rate him ? i wonder why that would be? Explain yourself! :dna
12thMan
4th July 2008, 19:33
They should not be banned. And if they are not banned then they are eligible but may not get picked.
I think the time has come to ask Saqlain directly that if he was given the chance to play for Pakistan again, would he do it.
Leave it with me and watch this space.
lollol
4th July 2008, 20:58
My prediction: he will not play for PAK if given the chance :)
Awesome Anjum
7th July 2008, 09:36
Specials | Interviews >>
Saqlain Mushtaq
Play it again, Saqi
The inventor of the doosra talks spin, Twenty20 and county cricket
Jamie Alter
July 7, 2008
Bright-eyed and bushy-bearded: 'I took what I learned playing in England back to the international level' © Getty Images
Sitting comfortably in a fold-up chair in the Players' Dining Room outside the Surrey dressing room after the first day of the game against Kent at The Oval, arms moving about as he simulates bowling actions and shots batsmen have attempted against him, Saqlain Mushtaq looks every bit the seasoned cricketer. Add on the flowing beard and Islamic skull cap and he resembles something of a sage. Listen to sport and religion blend together in his conversation and you're taken in by his boyish simplicity. Place it all in perspective of where he's been the last few years, and you have a man relishing another chance to play cricket.
Saqlain started as a teenage wonder, making his Test debut at 19, and became the quickest to 100 one-day-international wickets, flummoxing batsmen with the magic delivery that went the other way. He helped Surrey to the English County Championship title three times in four years, had his career damaged by injury, and made an unsuccessful attempt in 2004 to force his way back into Pakistan's Test side, against India in Multan - a game where he was made to look like a nets bowler by Virender Sehwag, who made an epic 309.
A year ago, ravaged by the second of two serious knee injuries, Saqlain looked a shadow of the bowler he had been in his international pomp. It appeared his career was over. "It was hard. Injuries played their part, and there were some selection issues. It's in the past," he says, his eyes fleetingly turning away behind us, where fastened on the white wall are dozen of framed photographs of Surrey's last glory years, of which he was a starring part with 384 wickets at 20.79 in 80 matches.
The group stage of the Twenty20 Cup has just wrapped up and it's back to four-day cricket, where Saqlain has always been a star at his adopted home, The Oval. "I thrive on cricket. It don't matter what the format, I just want to bowl," he says.
The art of the other one
I'd heard he was reticent and uncommunicative, that you had to prod, and you'd be lucky to receive monosyllabic answers. But I found a friendly individual, who within seconds of hearing I spoke Urdu, grabbed my hand and led me into the Surrey dressing room, proceeding to parade me before Abdul Razzaq, Usman Afzaal and Scott Newman. A barrier, one that perhaps existed in the words of others, had been broken.
I suggest that perhaps an overdose of playing one-day cricket affected his bowling in Tests, but he brushes that aside. "Never. Alhamdulillah, I was fortunate to be able to adjust to conditions and pressure early in my career and as I progressed. Test cricket, one-day cricket, Twenty20, all of these I picked up easily. I figured out each format early."
The doosra, he says with pride, is a weapon he honed during his youth, playing at home on the terrace. "We used to play as boys using a table-tennis ball; that's where I picked it up. I then bowled it in professional cricket later. Later I played with the taped ball, which is big in Pakistan. It worked there too."
There has been criticism that Saqlain used the doosra too much, particularly early in his career, but the man himself is quick to defend his methods. He talks about observing the way a batsman stands at the crease, what his preferred shots are, his style. "If a batsman is playing straight, not cutting or playing much to the off side, or is playing more off his legs, then I bowl where he's uncomfortable, making him play. Often to the non-Asian batsmen, who I feel are susceptible, I used to bowl the doosra first to give them a jhatka [shock]. The Asian players - Indians, Pakistanis, Sri Lankans - their footwork is better and they have a better understanding of how to play spin, using their wrists, so I had to be more observant and not try too much too soon."
"Allah gave me a talent and variety in my bowling, and after that whatever I learned was from Twenty20 cricket
Wasim Akram regularly used Saqlain inside the first 15 overs of an ODI, as well as at the death - often even in the penultimate over. "The thinking was just that I had to get batsmen out," Saqlain says with a hearty laugh. "The ball is hard at the start and soft by the end but I never thought about such things. I had one thing on my mind and that was getting wickets. If you stray here and there and don't think about what's important - line and length - then negatives can creep into your head. Wasim bhai backed me and I just had to deliver."
Oh to be in England
Saqlain is only 31 but has assumed the role of senior statesman in the Surrey dressing room. The move to English county cricket, he says, was crucial. "Those were great years. You develop your game, you learn. I want to work hard and bring back those years to Surrey."
A veteran on the county circuit, having gone from Surrey to Ireland to Sussex and now back to Surrey, Saqlain says the moves were not purely for financial reasons but targeted at gaining exposure. "You definitely need to play in different conditions, on different tracks, against different batsmen. You learn a lot that way. And I took what I learned playing in England back to the international level. If you play in one place or against one type of player, you won't go anywhere. "
There was speculation over his future after he left Sussex halfway through a two-year deal. Saqlain had not featured much that summer and made only four Championship appearances taking 14 wickets. "I went to Sussex because I had no other option at the time. They looked after me very well, they kept in mind my expectations and gave me a deal which matched my requirements," he says matter-of-factly. "But I came back here to London mainly because there are better education options for my three children. I'm conservative and wanted my kids to get a proper Islamic education. That wasn't there for me up in Sussex. I've been settled in London since 1998 and my family and relatives and friends are all here. Commuting and looking after the kids' education became tough. The kids have a good school here. Thankfully, Surrey approached me with a deal, it worked out well, and I here I am."
And what of the rigorous county schedule? "We play a lot of cricket in England and it is demanding, but that's your job and you learn to adjust. I enjoy it, keeps me busy."
He only smiles and nods when asked if his readiness to play for England - he's qualified for a British passport through marriage - still stands, but is eager to point out that apart from Monty Panesar, the spin scene in England is weak. And he should know. "Until now, Monty's [Panesar] the only quality spinner I've seen. Spin has never been England's strength. I've not seen anyone extraordinary on the circuit. There are good bowlers, definitely, but no one really stands out. Shaun [Udal] was good but he's aged; [Graeme] Swann is playing for England in one-day cricket, but he's not extraordinary - he's good for one-day cricket but that's it. Monty's the real deal. Adil Rashid bowls well. He hasn't gotten the wickets he deserves but he's a good spinner."
Adapting to the short stuff
Taking a swig of Powerade, Saqlain moves on to Twenty20 cricket, which is all the rage these days in the wake of the IPL and Allen Stanford's agreement with the English authorities.
"In Pakistan we've been playing such formats for some time," he replies when asked if it was a format that took getting used to after 49 Tests and 169 one-day internationals. "Allah gave me a talent and variety in my bowling, and after that whatever I learned was from Twenty20 cricket. It helped me a lot - learning to change lengths and such. I had no problems adjusting to the format. My job is to take wickets, and I'm comfortable doing that in any format."
'Wasim bhai backed me and I just had to deliver' © AFP
At the height of his international career Saqlain was a master of innovation, mixing flatter, restrictive deliveries up with tempting flighted ones. The key in Twenty20, he says, is variation. "Obviously, in Twenty20 cricket you need to make some adjustments: the length you bowl, the pace, because the batsman is always looking to dominate. You really need to adjust quickly; it's just that type of game. The batsman will always think that there's nothing to lose. Also, the fielding is different."
And what of these new innovative shots - the switch-hit, the reverse sweep, the paddle-scoop? "They are encouraging. If it works, it looks good, but if it doesn't, I'm going to get a wicket," he says with a smile. "You really have to look at the margin of your line and length, and make sure you don't give them much width to play these fancy shots. That's what bowling - more so spin - is all about in Twenty20 cricket: line and length."
In Twenty20, one would think more spinners would be encouraged to bowl flat and quick because the ball will still be hard and relatively new? "That depends on how you want to bowl," Saqlain says. "There's a lot of research and homework being done, people analysing videos and such. Last year, when I was at Sussex, they felt the slower I bowled, the more effective I was," he reveals. "It seemed the batsmen were easier able to hit the quicker, flatter balls.
"It depends how comfortable the bowler feels. In Twenty20 cricket you definitely need to vary your length. But if you look at the scorecards of the past year, you'll see that the average wicket-runs ratio has come down in favour of spinners who've bowled slow, using flight and length as their weapons."
There are also cues to pick up from a batsman before delivering the ball. "You have to really observe what's happening in a very short span of time. You've got to be quick to pick up on a batsman's style, his aggression, his back lift. There's plenty to analyse beforehand, but out on the field you need to try and see where he's lacking in positivism, if at all. I can usually pick up how a batsman is thinking. It's easier in Twenty20 cricket, obviously."
During Saqlain's international career deep midwicket and long-on, often even mid-on, used to be key field placements when he bowled. How does he set his field these days? "Offspinners rely on drift into the batsman and get more chances on the leg side. There are changes in the game now that require you to change your field placing," he says. "For example, if a batsman is reverse-sweeping, I remove midwicket from the circle and place him at short fine leg for the top edge. If he's sweeping for singles repeatedly, I may push a man back to encourage the second, and then slip in a quicker one for a stumping, a caught-and-bowled... I don't want to give away my tricks!
"But I most always keep a deep midwicket because batsmen fancy playing with the turn. If someone's not looking to work the ball to the on side, I'll then drop the midwicket and use the man somewhere else."
Meanwhile, back in Pakistan
The talk moves back to his international career. Apart from a series of knee injuries, Saqlain slowly fell out of the reckoning in Pakistan's one-day line-up because the management started preferring batsmen who could bowl part-time spin - the likes of Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, and Shahid Afridi, who starkly indicative of the current scene, is Pakistan's No. 1 spinner in ODIs. Why the dearth of quality spinners?
You've got to be quick to pick up on a batsman's style, his aggression, his back lift. I can usually pick up how a batsman is thinking. It's easier in Twenty20 cricket, obviously
"Matters in Pakistan change a lot. It's all politics. We've had so many selection committee changes. No one seems to know what needs to be done, what makes a good spinner. So that hurts the process, and spinners can't just come up the ranks.
"You don't just become a spinner, you have to be made into one. You need to be coached and groomed. Pakistan isn't producing quality spinners or opening batsmen. There are no fast bowlers of the likes of Wasim and Waqar either, which is sad. Look at [Abdur] Rehman, who played two Tests and then was gone. It reflects on the changes in the board."
Saqlain says he often closes his eyes and goes back to his first Test wicket (Sri Lanka's Chandika Hathurusingha in Peshawar, 1995), which he took with his seventh delivery. "It was unbelievable. I can never forget that. I was just 19.
"I remember a lot of wickets. They stay in my mind. My favourite was getting Sachin Tendulkar in the Chennai Test in 1999... but if someone tells you that they can remember every shot played and wicket taken, they're lying."
He looks at his watch and says he needs to leave. As we descend the steps from the pavilion down towards the Alec Stewart Gate, one of the umpires, former Test player Rob Bailey, emerges from a side entrance. "Saqi" he smiles, making a spinning motion with his right hand. "Looks like there's going to be some turn out there tomorrow. You must be looking forward, eh?" Pat comes the confident, boyish reply. "Of course, I'm always ready."
Saqlain's Pakistan career is over but he's embracing another shot at county cricket with open arms. The poor impersonator from Multan in 2004, lacking in confidence, rhythm and mystery, is thankfully gone and a fresher, more positive Saqlain is back. Here's hoping he can bring the smiles back to the faces of the Surrey fans, and those who remember his feats on the international scene.
Jamie Alter is a staff writer at Cricinfo
Gunner786
7th July 2008, 13:39
The good old days!
I'm hoping to see him come back into pakistani contention as hes better than our odi bowlers anyday.
Sitting comfortably in a fold-up chair in the Players' Dining Room outside the Surrey dressing room after the first day of the game against Kent at The Oval, arms moving about as he simulates bowling actions and shots batsmen have attempted against him, Saqlain Mushtaq looks every bit the seasoned cricketer. Add on the flowing beard and Islamic skull cap and he resembles something of a sage. Listen to sport and religion blend together in his conversation and you're taken in by his boyish simplicity. Place it all in perspective of where he's been the last few years, and you have a man relishing another chance to play cricket.
Saqlain started as a teenage wonder, making his Test debut at 19, and became the quickest to 100 one-day-international wickets, flummoxing batsmen with the magic delivery that went the other way. He helped Surrey to the English County Championship title three times in four years, had his career damaged by injury, and made an unsuccessful attempt in 2004 to force his way back into Pakistan's Test side, against India in Multan - a game where he was made to look like a nets bowler by Virender Sehwag, who made an epic 309.
A year ago, ravaged by the second of two serious knee injuries, Saqlain looked a shadow of the bowler he had been in his international pomp. It appeared his career was over. "It was hard. Injuries played their part, and there were some selection issues. It's in the past," he says, his eyes fleetingly turning away behind us, where fastened on the white wall are dozen of framed photographs of Surrey's last glory years, of which he was a starring part with 384 wickets at 20.79 in 80 matches.
The group stage of the Twenty20 Cup has just wrapped up and it's back to four-day cricket, where Saqlain has always been a star at his adopted home, The Oval. "I thrive on cricket. It don't matter what the format, I just want to bowl," he says.
The art of the other one
I'd heard he was reticent and uncommunicative, that you had to prod, and you'd be lucky to receive monosyllabic answers. But I found a friendly individual, who within seconds of hearing I spoke Urdu, grabbed my hand and led me into the Surrey dressing room, proceeding to parade me before Abdul Razzaq, Usman Afzaal and Scott Newman. A barrier, one that perhaps existed in the words of others, had been broken.
I suggest that perhaps an overdose of playing one-day cricket affected his bowling in Tests, but he brushes that aside. "Never. Alhamdulillah, I was fortunate to be able to adjust to conditions and pressure early in my career and as I progressed. Test cricket, one-day cricket, Twenty20, all of these I picked up easily. I figured out each format early."
The doosra, he says with pride, is a weapon he honed during his youth, playing at home on the terrace. "We used to play as boys using a table-tennis ball; that's where I picked it up. I then bowled it in professional cricket later. Later I played with the taped ball, which is big in Pakistan. It worked there too."
There has been criticism that Saqlain used the doosra too much, particularly early in his career, but the man himself is quick to defend his methods. He talks about observing the way a batsman stands at the crease, what his preferred shots are, his style. "If a batsman is playing straight, not cutting or playing much to the off side, or is playing more off his legs, then I bowl where he's uncomfortable, making him play. Often to the non-Asian batsmen, who I feel are susceptible, I used to bowl the doosra first to give them a jhatka [shock]. The Asian players - Indians, Pakistanis, Sri Lankans - their footwork is better and they have a better understanding of how to play spin, using their wrists, so I had to be more observant and not try too much too soon."
Wasim Akram regularly used Saqlain inside the first 15 overs of an ODI, as well as at the death - often even in the penultimate over. "The thinking was just that I had to get batsmen out," Saqlain says with a hearty laugh. "The ball is hard at the start and soft by the end but I never thought about such things. I had one thing on my mind and that was getting wickets. If you stray here and there and don't think about what's important - line and length - then negatives can creep into your head. Wasim bhai backed me and I just had to deliver."
Oh to be in England
Saqlain is only 31 but has assumed the role of senior statesman in the Surrey dressing room. The move to English county cricket, he says, was crucial. "Those were great years. You develop your game, you learn. I want to work hard and bring back those years to Surrey."
A veteran on the county circuit, having gone from Surrey to Ireland to Sussex and now back to Surrey, Saqlain says the moves were not purely for financial reasons but targeted at gaining exposure. "You definitely need to play in different conditions, on different tracks, against different batsmen. You learn a lot that way. And I took what I learned playing in England back to the international level. If you play in one place or against one type of player, you won't go anywhere. "
There was speculation over his future after he left Sussex halfway through a two-year deal. Saqlain had not featured much that summer and made only four Championship appearances taking 14 wickets. "I went to Sussex because I had no other option at the time. They looked after me very well, they kept in mind my expectations and gave me a deal which matched my requirements," he says matter-of-factly. "But I came back here to London mainly because there are better education options for my three children. I'm conservative and wanted my kids to get a proper Islamic education. That wasn't there for me up in Sussex. I've been settled in London since 1998 and my family and relatives and friends are all here. Commuting and looking after the kids' education became tough. The kids have a good school here. Thankfully, Surrey approached me with a deal, it worked out well, and I here I am."
And what of the rigorous county schedule? "We play a lot of cricket in England and it is demanding, but that's your job and you learn to adjust. I enjoy it, keeps me busy."
He only smiles and nods when asked if his readiness to play for England - he's qualified for a British passport through marriage - still stands, but is eager to point out that apart from Monty Panesar, the spin scene in England is weak. And he should know. "Until now, Monty's [Panesar] the only quality spinner I've seen. Spin has never been England's strength. I've not seen anyone extraordinary on the circuit. There are good bowlers, definitely, but no one really stands out. Shaun [Udal] was good but he's aged; [Graeme] Swann is playing for England in one-day cricket, but he's not extraordinary - he's good for one-day cricket but that's it. Monty's the real deal. Adil Rashid bowls well. He hasn't gotten the wickets he deserves but he's a good spinner."
Adapting to the short stuff
Taking a swig of Powerade, Saqlain moves on to Twenty20 cricket, which is all the rage these days in the wake of the IPL and Allen Stanford's agreement with the English authorities.
"In Pakistan we've been playing such formats for some time," he replies when asked if it was a format that took getting used to after 49 Tests and 169 one-day internationals. "Allah gave me a talent and variety in my bowling, and after that whatever I learned was from Twenty20 cricket. It helped me a lot - learning to change lengths and such. I had no problems adjusting to the format. My job is to take wickets, and I'm comfortable doing that in any format."
At the height of his international career Saqlain was a master of innovation, mixing flatter, restrictive deliveries up with tempting flighted ones. The key in Twenty20, he says, is variation. "Obviously, in Twenty20 cricket you need to make some adjustments: the length you bowl, the pace, because the batsman is always looking to dominate. You really need to adjust quickly; it's just that type of game. The batsman will always think that there's nothing to lose. Also, the fielding is different."
And what of these new innovative shots - the switch-hit, the reverse sweep, the paddle-scoop? "They are encouraging. If it works, it looks good, but if it doesn't, I'm going to get a wicket," he says with a smile. "You really have to look at the margin of your line and length, and make sure you don't give them much width to play these fancy shots. That's what bowling - more so spin - is all about in Twenty20 cricket: line and length."
In Twenty20, one would think more spinners would be encouraged to bowl flat and quick because the ball will still be hard and relatively new? "That depends on how you want to bowl," Saqlain says. "There's a lot of research and homework being done, people analysing videos and such. Last year, when I was at Sussex, they felt the slower I bowled, the more effective I was," he reveals. "It seemed the batsmen were easier able to hit the quicker, flatter balls.
"It depends how comfortable the bowler feels. In Twenty20 cricket you definitely need to vary your length. But if you look at the scorecards of the past year, you'll see that the average wicket-runs ratio has come down in favour of spinners who've bowled slow, using flight and length as their weapons."
There are also cues to pick up from a batsman before delivering the ball. "You have to really observe what's happening in a very short span of time. You've got to be quick to pick up on a batsman's style, his aggression, his back lift. There's plenty to analyse beforehand, but out on the field you need to try and see where he's lacking in positivism, if at all. I can usually pick up how a batsman is thinking. It's easier in Twenty20 cricket, obviously."
During Saqlain's international career deep midwicket and long-on, often even mid-on, used to be key field placements when he bowled. How does he set his field these days? "Offspinners rely on drift into the batsman and get more chances on the leg side. There are changes in the game now that require you to change your field placing," he says. "For example, if a batsman is reverse-sweeping, I remove midwicket from the circle and place him at short fine leg for the top edge. If he's sweeping for singles repeatedly, I may push a man back to encourage the second, and then slip in a quicker one for a stumping, a caught-and-bowled... I don't want to give away my tricks!
"But I most always keep a deep midwicket because batsmen fancy playing with the turn. If someone's not looking to work the ball to the on side, I'll then drop the midwicket and use the man somewhere else."
Meanwhile, back in Pakistan
The talk moves back to his international career. Apart from a series of knee injuries, Saqlain slowly fell out of the reckoning in Pakistan's one-day line-up because the management started preferring batsmen who could bowl part-time spin - the likes of Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, and Shahid Afridi, who starkly indicative of the current scene, is Pakistan's No. 1 spinner in ODIs. Why the dearth of quality spinners?
"Matters in Pakistan change a lot. It's all politics. We've had so many selection committee changes. No one seems to know what needs to be done, what makes a good spinner. So that hurts the process, and spinners can't just come up the ranks.
"You don't just become a spinner, you have to be made into one. You need to be coached and groomed. Pakistan isn't producing quality spinners or opening batsmen. There are no fast bowlers of the likes of Wasim and Waqar either, which is sad. Look at [Abdur] Rehman, who played two Tests and then was gone. It reflects on the changes in the board."
Saqlain says he often closes his eyes and goes back to his first Test wicket (Sri Lanka's Chandika Hathurusingha in Peshawar, 1995), which he took with his seventh delivery. "It was unbelievable. I can never forget that. I was just 19.
"I remember a lot of wickets. They stay in my mind. My favourite was getting Sachin Tendulkar in the Chennai Test in 1999... but if someone tells you that they can remember every shot played and wicket taken, they're lying."
He looks at his watch and says he needs to leave. As we descend the steps from the pavilion down towards the Alec Stewart Gate, one of the umpires, former Test player Rob Bailey, emerges from a side entrance. "Saqi" he smiles, making a spinning motion with his right hand. "Looks like there's going to be some turn out there tomorrow. You must be looking forward, eh?" Pat comes the confident, boyish reply. "Of course, I'm always ready."
Saqlain's Pakistan career is over but he's embracing another shot at county cricket with open arms. The poor impersonator from Multan in 2004, lacking in confidence, rhythm and mystery, is thankfully gone and a fresher, more positive Saqlain is back. Here's hoping he can bring the smiles back to the faces of the Surrey fans, and those who remember his feats on the international scene.
Jamie Alter is a staff writer at Cricinfo
http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/current/story/359348.html
Poison
7th July 2008, 13:41
The article says his career internationally is over.
Why?
He's only 31.
Lethal
7th July 2008, 13:45
The article says his career internationally is over.
Why?
He's only 31.
Exactly. He still has a few good years left in him. Mind you Pakistan have a decent spinner in Saeed Ajmal but Saqi is much better
observer1
7th July 2008, 13:52
Exactly. He still has a few good years left in him. Mind you Pakistan have a decent spinner in Saeed Ajmal but Saqi is much better
Saeed Ajmal is new. With the PCB tradition, his career could take a nose dive at any random time
Lethal
7th July 2008, 13:53
Maybe there is a petition
If there is I'd be happy to sign it
Come on PP let's take a step and sign a petition for A Razzaq and Saqlain Mushtaq
So is there a petition
Lethal
7th July 2008, 13:57
Saeed Ajmal is new. With the PCB tradition, his career could take a nose dive at any random time
I reckon he will be there for some time cos he is was introduced by Misbah
Savak
7th July 2008, 14:05
Il be happy for Saqi if he can come back, he must realize he has to learn new tricks, he has to find a way to make his doosra more secretive. He exposed it too much i feel and was almost useless in his final 2-3 years for Pakistan. But i would love Saqi to come back into form and be the great wicket taker he once was.
Legendary_Sage
7th July 2008, 14:08
Saqi i still believe you are the best Offspinner pak has ever produced.Please make a come back and get wickets for pakistan again.
Pak_mystery
7th July 2008, 14:58
Its unfortunate guys but the fact is that saqi isnt coming back at intl cricket! He took part in icl remmember?
the Great Khan
7th July 2008, 14:58
You guys can all email the PCB if you wish.
They may notice if they get a few emails from all over the world.
post their email and every pakpassion memebr should flood their server..that will get them to notice..cmon forget shilpa shetti,,vote saqi!!
octavian
7th July 2008, 16:15
Saeed Ajmal is new. With the PCB tradition, his career could take a nose dive at any random time
well put. :)))
Lethal
8th July 2008, 12:20
Il be happy for Saqi if he can come back, he must realize he has to learn new tricks, he has to find a way to make his doosra more secretive. He exposed it too much i feel and was almost useless in his final 2-3 years for Pakistan. But i would love Saqi to come back into form and be the great wicket taker he once was.
He has just developed the leg spinner
umairriazmirza
28th August 2008, 15:38
guys we all knw tht SAQLAIN was only 70% fit when he played his last test that was against INDIA..when SEHWAG butchered him all over the park..after tht DANISH was found to be his replacement..and DANISH'S performances, strikerate, patience, guile, quality is nuthing incomparison to SAQLAIN..
i personally thing SAQLAIN should have been given few more chances the way they were given to DANISH KANARIA..what is your opinion???
Awesome Anjum
28th August 2008, 15:52
I don't know why posters keep bringing the Saqlain topic up over and over again. He is far past his best and performed poorly in the last few years of his career when he was fit, and was rightly dropped. He was certainly a force to be reckoned with during the nineties and during that period was probably the best off-spinner the world has ever seen (including Murali IMO) but we have to move on now.
salman24
29th August 2008, 03:54
I don't know why posters keep bringing the Saqlain topic up over and over again. He is far past his best and performed poorly in the last few years of his career when he was fit, and was rightly dropped. He was certainly a force to be reckoned with during the nineties and during that period was probably the best off-spinner the world has ever seen (including Murali IMO) but we have to move on now.
If you read this thread this queston has been answered many times. Saqi was not fully fit plus was not given enough chances to come back. He was unlucky, had a lack of support from the PCB and even though Sehwag wacked him all around the park, Sehwag was also dropped off his bowling. If that catch ahd been taken , things would've been a lot different.
vBulletin® v3.8.4, Copyright ©2000-2013, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.